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The session window could not open

You might be here because: “The session window could not open” · “part of Driftstack is missing” · “nothing opens when I press Launch” · “Sign in to the desktop app first” · “a browser preview cannot open a session window” · “The server did not return live-view connection details” · “session window won’t show up” · “Driftstack Simulator app missing from Applications” · “do I have to reinstall the whole app”

Short answer

The desktop app could not open the session window. The message tells you which case you hit; the most common fixes are to sign in, try again, or restart the desktop app. Only one case (“part of Driftstack is missing”) can end in reinstalling the app — and there are two things to try before that.

Check first

  • Signed in to the desktop app? Opening a session needs it.
  • Are you in the desktop app itself, not a web preview?
  • Try Launch once more, then restart the app before anything bigger.

Likely causes and fixes

The sentences below are the app’s own wording.

  1. “Sign in to the desktop app first, then open the session again.” Sign in, then launch.

  2. “Open sessions from the desktop app; a browser preview cannot open a session window.” Use the installed app.

  3. “That session has ended. Launch the profile again to start a new one.” The session you tried to open is closed or expired. Launch again.

  4. “The server did not return live-view connection details. Try again.” A transient server reply. Retry.

  5. “The session window could not open. Try again; if it keeps happening, restart the desktop app.” Generic case; retry, then quit and reopen the app.

  6. “The session window could not open: part of Driftstack is missing and could not be reinstalled automatically. Reinstall Driftstack from your download, then try again.” On a Mac, session windows come from a small companion app that Driftstack keeps in your Applications folder and installs or refreshes by itself when it is missing or out of date. Its file there is named “Driftstack Simulator”: the companion has always had that file name, and it is kept so installed copies keep updating, although the app itself is called Driftstack. Driftstack restores it from a copy carried inside Driftstack itself, or from a “Driftstack Simulator” app sitting next to Driftstack. Before reinstalling: 1) look in Applications for “Driftstack Simulator” — if you moved it to the Trash or elsewhere, put it back in Applications and launch again; 2) if you have a copy of it from an earlier download, put it next to Driftstack (or into Applications) and launch again — the app picks it up from there; 3) only if both fail, reinstall Driftstack from the download. Reinstalling does not remove your profiles or settings — they live on your account — and your sign-in and recordings stay unless you sign out (What ‘Sign out on this computer’ removes and keeps).

If it still fails

Press Talk to a person in this chat (or open Help) and include: the exact sentence, your macOS version, the app version (Settings) and whether it happens for every profile. No account or billing action is needed.